Harry Potter: Basalisk's Voice
by WishUponAStar1015
Summary: Harry and Hikosu are back in the second installment of the Animalia Saga. What will Hikosu do when Harry starts to hear voices and what will Harry do when Hikosu's powers start to develop? Can they trust each other through everything?
1. The Worst Birthday

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!**

**Without much further procrastinating here is the sequal to Harry Potter: It Begins!**

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

**The Worst Birthday**

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><p>In a world full of magic, turning twelve was not really a huge occasion, but for an Animalia – a being born from the pure magic of the earth, the Life Stream – turning twelve was a huge occasion. Not as big as thirteen, when an Animalia begins to mature, but being twelve was still a big deal. It meant that said magical being had survived twelve years of being hunted for their power.<p>

Said Animalia, a lovely white haired and silvery eyed girl named Hikosu Snape, lived in England, with her best friend, Harry Potter. Why didn't she live with her father, Severus Snape? Well, because of the fact that they had grown up in the Muggle world, a world of nonmagical people, to save them from growing up with the knowledge that they were special.

It wasn't the first time that an argument had broken out over breakfast at number four, Privet Drive. Mr. Vernon Dursley had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud, hooting noise from his nephew Harry's room.

"Third time this week!" he roared across the table. "If you can't control that owl, it'll have to go!"

Owls weren't the worst of his problem. Animalia were granted Guides in the form of animals to help them develop their inner magic, their core magic, which was held deep within themselves. Hikosu had found two so far – Animalia could have any number of Guides – a white wolf, named Cael, and a snow leopard, named Fayen.

Of course, they were able to change their size so they were able to blend in easier. Fayen was a prized house cat while Cael posed as a wolf hound…sort of.

Petuna, Vernon's wife, had a fit with the two animals. She screamed on the top of her lungs when Fayen sauntered in the living room in her full height. Well, everyone else would probably scream that loud if a snow leopard was looking at you hungrily.

Harry tried, yet again, to explain.

"She's _bored_," he said. "She's used to flying around outside. If I could just let her out at night…" he was cut off by his uncle.

"Do I look stupid?" snarled Uncle Vernon, a bit of fried egg dangling from his bushy mustache. "I know what'll happen if that owl's let out."

He exchanged looks with his wife.

Harry tried to argue back but his words were drowned by a long, loud belch from the Dursleys' son, Dudley.

"Oh, gross!" Hikosu said, waving her hand in front of her face. Fortunately, she was allowed to keep her pristine white hair color. Petunia had tried to dye it that ugly brown color, but each time she drank the water from the Life Spring her looks returned to normal. Her voice had only strengthened during the summer. After she had come back to the Dursleys – this was a week later than Harry since she had to do her finals – the two got together and surmised that it was because she had accessed her core power early. Hikosu didn't understand it, seeing as she had only met one other Animalia and it was for a short time, but she just went with it. It was wonderful to be able to speak out loud instead of in someone's head!

"I want more bacon." He grunted as Hikosu scrunched her nose in disgust.

"There's more in the frying pan, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia, turning her misty eyes on her massive son. "We must build you up while we've got the chance…I don't like the sound of that school food…"

"Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry when _I _was at Smeltings," said Uncle Vernon heartily. "Dudley gets enough, don't you, son?"

Dudley, who was so large his bottom drooped over either side of the kitchen chair, grinned and turned to Harry. Hikosu just scooted away from him, purely disgusted at the boy's…well…attitude.

"Pass the frying pan."

"You've forgotten the magic word," said Harry irritably.

The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the family was incredible: Dudley gasped and fell off his chair with a crash that shook the whole kitchen; Mrs. Dursley gave a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth; Mr. Dursley jumped to his feet, veins throbbing in his temples; Cael morphed to human mode and stood protectively in front of Hikosu while Fayen did the same with Harry.

"I meant 'please'!" said Harry quickly as he peered around Fayen's shoulder. "I didn't mean…"

"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU," thundered his uncle, spraying spit over the table, "ABOUT SAYING THE 'M' WORD IN OUR HOUSE?"

"But I…"

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY!" roared Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his fist.

"I just…"

"I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE MENTION OF YOUR ABNORMALITY UNDER THIS ROOF!"

"Will you let him talk instead of interrupting him all the time?" Hikosu exclaimed as she stood from her chair. Her silver eyes flashed dangerously as a very thin outline of silver appeared around her body. Ever since she had unlocked her core magic, she had been activating it every time she became emotional.

Harry put a hand on her arm and stared from his purple-faced uncle to his pale aunt, who was trying to heave Dudley to his feet.

"All right," said Harry, giving up almost too easily, _"all right…"_

Uncle Vernon sat back down, breathing like a winded rhinoceros and watching Harry closely out of the corners of his small, sharp eyes. Hikosu continued to glare sharply at him, but she calmed down. As she did, the small silver outline faded away and was absorbed back into her body.

Ever since Harry and Hikosu– with her two Guides as an extension – had come home for the summer holidays, Vernon had been treating them like a bomb that might go off at any moment, because they weren't _normal_ children. As a matter of fact, he was as not normal as it is possible to be. Like stated before, Hikosu was an Animalia, but Harry was a Wizard. They were fresh from their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And if the Dursleys were unhappy to have them back for the holidays, it was nothing to how the two children felt.

Hikosu, actually, cried herself to sleep at least four nights out of the week. She missed her father greatly and couldn't wait until next summer – when she was able to go home with him for the first time. They missed Hogwarts so much it was like having a constant stomachache. They missed the castle, with its secret passageways and ghosts, their classes, the mail arriving by owl, eating banquets in the Great Hall, sleeping in their four-poster beds (although this was a different experience for both of them), visiting the gamekeeper, Hagrid, in his cabin next to the Forbidden Forest in the grounds, and, especially, Quidditch. Harry was great at it, but Hikosu didn't like heights let alone broomsticks.

All of their spellbooks, their wands, robes, cauldrons, and everything else had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by Uncle Vernon the instant the two came home. What did the Dursleys care if Harry lost his place on the House Quidditch team because he hadn't practiced all summer? What was it to the Dursleys if they went back to school without any of their homework done? If Hikosu felt depressed because she couldn't read up on any magical creatures? The Dursleys were what wizards called Muggles (not a drop of magical blood in their veins), and as far as they were concerned, having a wizard in the family was a matter of deepest shame. They had no idea what to feel about Hikosu – she was a witch and an Animalia. According to the Dursleys since she wasn't human, she was something to be feared. Uncle Vernon was horrible – he had even padlocked Harry's owl, Hedwig, inside her cage to stop her from carrying messages to anyone in the wizarding world.

Harry looked nothing like the rest of the family. Uncle Vernon was large and necklace, with an enormous black mustache; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and boney; Dudley was small, pink, and porky. Harry, on the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant green eyes and jet-black hair that was always untidy. Hikosu thought that he looked kind of cute with his hair messy. Harry wore round glasses, and on his forehead was a thin, lightning-shaped scar. Hikosu also had a mark on her skin, but, unlike Harry's, it was simply a circle with a line through it to represent Earth. It was a symbol mostly seen in alchemy.

She speculated that it was because of the mark that she hadn't been able to talk before, but for some reason the mark had began to fade. It was still there, which was perhaps why she had been experiencing brief times when she couldn't talk.

Harry's scar was what made Harry so particularly unusual, even for a wizard. This scar was the only hint of Harry's very mysterious past, of the reason he had been left on the Dursleys' doorstep eleven years before.

At the age of one year old, Harry and Hikosu had somehow survived a curse from the greatest Dark sorcerer of all time, Lord Voldemort, whose name most witches and wizards still feared to speak. Harry's parents had died in Voldemort's attack, but Harry had escaped with his lightning scar – but it was unclear why Hikosu remained alive as well. Most speculated that it was either because of the mark on her throat or it was because she was an Animalia. They held great, but unknown, power. Voldemort's powers had been destroyed the instant he had failed to kill the two children.

So Harry and Hikosu had been brought up by his dead mother's sister and her husband. He had spent ten years with the Dursleys along with his best friend and they had never understood why they kept making odd things happen without meaning to, believing the Dursleys' story that he had got his scar in the car crash that had killed his parents.

And then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to Harry and Hikosu and the whole story had come out. Harry had taken up his place at the wizarding school while Hikosu met her two animal guides. They were famous at the school, but now the school year was over, and they were back with the Dursleys for the summer, back to being treated like dogs that had rolled in something smelly.

The Dursleys hadn't even remembered that today happened to be Harry's twelfth birthday. Of course, his hopes hadn't been high; they'd never given him a real present before, let alone a cake – but to ignore it completely…

At least Hikosu managed to remember. She sent Cael to Diagon Alley and he had returned with the newest edition of _Quidditch Through the Ages_ and a new book titled _Fantastic Seekers and Their Tricks of Trade_. It held tips on becoming an outstanding Seeker. Cael had also purchased him a small decorative ring that would glow when their loved one was in danger – it was so that if Hikosu was in danger, Harry would know if they were separated.

At that moment, Uncle Vernon cleared his throat importantly and said, "Now, as we all know, today is a very important day."

Harry and Hikosu looked up, hardly daring to believe it.

"This could well be the day I make the biggest deal of my career," said Uncle Vernon.

Harry went back to his toast as the white haired girl patted him on the back. Vernon had, of course, been talking of nothing else for two weeks. Some rich builder and his wife were coming to dinner and Uncle Vernon was hoping to get a huge order from him (Uncle Vernon's company made drills).

"I think we should run through the schedule one more time," said Uncle Vernon. "We should all be in position at eight o'clock. Petunia, you will be?"

"In the lounge," said Aunt Petunia promptly, "waiting to welcome them graciously to our home."

"Good, good. And Dudley?"

"I'll be waiting to open the door." Dudley put on a foul, simpering smile. "May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

"They'll _love_ him!" cried Aunt Petunia rapturously.

"Excellent, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon. Then he rounded on Harry and the others. "And you four?"

"I'll be in our bedroom, making no noise and pretending I'm not there." Harry said tonelessly.

"I'll be in our bedroom, making some sick noises and pretending that I'm ill." Hikosu murmured in a dull voice.

"I shall resume the farce of a simple prized housecat." Fayen said with a hiss.

"I shall return to the form of a wolf and use my glamour-magic to hide my ferocity."

"Exactly," said Uncle Vernon nastily. "I will lead them into the lounge, introduce you, Petunia, and pour them drinks. At eight-fifteen…"

"I'll announce dinner," said Aunt Petunia.

"And, Dudley, you'll say…"

"May I take you through to the dining room, Mrs. Mason?" said Dudley, offering his fat arm to an invisible woman.

"My perfect little gentleman!" sniffed Aunt Petunia.

"And you four?" said Uncle Vernon viciously to the others.

"I'll be in our room, making no noise and pretending I'm not there." Harry said dully.

"I'll be in our room, making sick noises and pretending that I'm ill." Hikosu said just as dully.

"We'll still pretend to be normal useless pets." Fayen answered for herself and Cael.

"Precisely. Now, we should aim to get in a few good compliments at dinner. Petunia, any ideas?"

"Vernon tells me you are a wonderful golfer, Mr. Mason…Do tell me where you bought your dress, Mrs. Mason."

"Perfect…Dudley?"

"How about 'We had to write an essay about our hero at school, Mr. Mason, and I wrote about you.'"

This was too much for Aunt Petunia, Harry, and Hikosu. Petunia burst into tears and hugged her son while Harry ducked under the table so they wouldn't see him laughing. Hikosu didn't care and burst out laughing anyway, drawing a dirty look from the fat tub of lard.

"And you?" Vernon questioned, glaring at Harry and Hikosu.

"We'll be in our room, pretending he doesn't exist and making sick noises so that they think I'm ill." Hikosu answered for them

"Too right, you will," said Uncle Vernon forcefully. Truth be told, he was still a little unnerved by the fact that Hikosu could now talk for short periods of time. "The Masons don't know anything about you, boy, and it's going to stay that way. When dinner's over, you take Mrs. Mason back to the lounge for coffee, Petunia, and I'll bring the subject around to drills. With any luck, I'll have the deal signed and sealed before the news at ten. We'll be shopping for a vacation home in Majorca this time tomorrow."

Harry couldn't feel too excited about this and he could tell that Hikosu didn't either. He didn't think the Dursleys would like them any better in Majorca than they did on Privet Drive.

"Right – I'm off into town to pick up the dinner jackets for Dudley and me. And _you two_," he snarled to Harry and Hikosu, "You stay out of Petunia's way while she's cleaning."

Harry left through the backdoor after taking Hikosu's hand in his. It was a brilliant, sunny day. They crossed the lawn, slumped down on the garden bench, and sang under his breath:

"Happy birthday to me…happy birthday to me…"

No cards, but he did receive a couple of presents, and he and Hikosu would be spending the evening up in their room. He gazed miserably into the hedge as the white haired girl began to rub his back. She was good at that. Harry had never felt so lonely, but he wasn't truly alone. The only time he had been truly alone was when Hikosu was kidnapped during their first year. He had been absolutely miserable.

More than anything else at Hogwarts, more even than playing Quidditch, Harry missed his friends. He could tell that Hikosu did, too, even though she wasn't as close to them as he was. They did, after all, accuse her father of being the one wanting to steal the Philosopher's Stone. They, however, didn't seem to be missing them at all. Neither of them had written to him all summer, even though Ron had said he was going to ask the two to come and stay.

Countless times, Harry had been on the point of unlocking Hedwig's cage by magic and sending her to Ron and Hermione with a letter, but it wasn't worth the risk. Underage wizards weren't allowed to use magic outside of school. Fayen and Cael couldn't go, either. Although they were magical, they didn't have the keen sense of direction that owls possessed.

No matter how much they wanted to, underage witches and wizards weren't allowed to use magic outside of the school. Neither Harry nor Hikosu told the Dursleys this; they knew it was only the Dursleys' terror that either one of them might turn them all into dung beetles that stopped them from locking either of them under the stairs with his wand and broomstick. For the first couple of weeks back the two of them enjoyed muttering nonsense words under his breath and watching Dudley tearing out of the room as fast as his fat legs would carry him. But, for Harry, the long silence from Ron and Hermione made him feel so cut off from the magical world that even taunting Dudley had lost its appeal – and now Ron and Hermione had forgotten his birthday.

What wouldn't he give now for a message from Hogwarts? From any witch or wizard? He'd almost be glad of a sight of his archenemy, Draco Malfoy, just to be sure it hadn't been all a dream. But, then again, it couldn't be a dream because once a week either Fayen or Cael would retrieve a week's worth of water from the Life Spring – the source of the water that stabilized Hikosu's core magic. She went without it for the first eleven years of her life and now she needed to drink a vial of it every day until she turned thirteen. She needed to be submerged in the Life Spring every year on her birthday or else her magic would fade away and she would become an empty husk of herself.

The two missed Hogwarts with everything in their being, except for, perhaps, the end of the year. At the very end of last term, Harry and Hikosu had come face-to-face with none other than Lord Voldemort himself. Voldemort might be a ruin of his former self, but he was still terrifying, still cunning, still determined to regain power. Harry had slipped through Voldemort's clutches for a second time, mainly thanks to Hikosu's uncontrolled core magic, but it had been a narrow escape, and even now, weeks later, both of the magical children would wake in the night, drenched in cold sweat, wondering where Voldemort was now, remembering his livid face, his wide, mad eyes…

Harry suddenly sat bolt upright on the garden bench.

"What, what's wrong?" Hikosu asked him, jerking up herself. Harry had been staring absent-mindedly into the hedge – _and the hedge was staring back. _Two enormous green eyes had appeared among the leaves.

Harry and Hikosu jumped to their feet as a jeering voice floated across the lawn.

"I know what day it is," Dudley sang, waddling towards them.

The huge eyes blinked and vanished.

"What?" said Harry, not taking his eyes off the spot where they had been.

"I know what day it is," Dudley repeated, coming right up to him.

"Well done," said Harry. "So you've finally learned the days of the week." Hikosu couldn't help but snort in an attempt not to die from laughter. Cael watched the fat pig-boy with wide eyes, staring the boy down in disgruntlement.

"Today's your _birthday._" Sneered Dudley. "How come you haven't got any card? Haven't you even got friends at that freak place?"

"I bought him a gift with the money my father sent me. Cael is useful for some things, you know." Hikosu said with a smile. Cael let out an irritated huff, but it was directed at the fat boy.

"Better not let your mum hear you talking about our school," said Harry coolly.

Dudley hitched up his trousers, which were slipping down his fat bottom.

"Why're you staring at the hedge?" he said suspiciously.

"I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire," said Harry.

"And I'm trying to figure out which one would be the best to put it out again." Hikosu giggled.

Dudley stumbled backward at once, a look of panic on his fat face.

"You c-can't – Dad told you you're not to do m-magic – he said he'll chuck you out of the house – and you haven't got anywhere else to go – you haven't got any _friends_ to take youj and Dorothea…"

"My name is Hikosu." The white haired girl spat out with a glare.

"_Jiggery pokery_!" said Harry in a fierce voice. "_Hocus pocus – squiggly wiggly –_"

"Mum!" howled Dudley, tripping over his feet as he dashed back toward the house. "Mum! He's doing you know what!"

"Jiggery pokery? Really, Harry?" Hikosu giggled, calming down again. They paid dearly for their moment of fun, though. As neither Dudley nor the hedge was in any way hurt, Aunt Petunia knew that he hadn't really done magic, but he still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at his head with the soapy frying pan. Then she gave the two of them work to do, with the promise that they wouldn't eat again until they'd finished.

While Dudley lolled around watched and eating ice cream, Harry cleaned the windows, Hikosu washed the car, Harry mowed the lawn, Hikosu trimmed the flowerbeds, Harry pruned and watered the roses, and the two of them repainted the garden bench. The sun blazed overhead, burning the back of their necks. Harry knew he shouldn't have risen to Dudley's bait, but Dudley had said the thing Harry had been thinking himself…maybe he _didn't _have any friends besides Hikosu at Hogwarts…

_Wish they could see the famous Harry Potter now, _he thought savagely as he spread manure on the flower beds, his back aching, sweat running down his face. Then, he felt awful. He glanced over to the white haired girl – she never once complained about not getting a letter from her father. He had promised to write her over the break, but then if he wasn't writing…couldn't he have at least visited?

It was half past seven in the evening when at last, exhausted, he heard Aunt Petunia calling for the two of them.

"Get in here you two! And walk on the newspaper!"

Harry and Hikosu moved gladly into the shade of the gleaming kitchen. On top of the fridge stood tonight's pudding: a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets. A loin of roast pork was sizzling in the oven.

"Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon!" snapped Aunt Petunia, pointing to two slices of bread and a lump of cheese on the kitchen table. She was already wearing a salmon-pink cocktail dress.

Harry washed his hands after his best friend did and bolted down his pitiful supper just as quickly as she did. The moment that the two of them finished, Aunt Petunia whisked away their plates.

"Upstairs! Hurry!"

As they passed the door to the living room, Harry caught a glimpse of Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow ties and dinner jackets. He had only just reached the upstairs landing, guiding Hikosu in front of him, when the doorbell rang and Uncle Vernon's furious face appeared at the foot of the stairs.

"Remember, boy – one sound. You, too, girl."

Harry crossed to his bedroom on tiptoe and Hikosu let out a loud sneeze and multiple coughing noises before slipping into the room. They close the door and turned to collapse on the bed…

The trouble was, there was already someone sitting on it.


	2. Dobby's Warning

**Here's your next chapter!**

**Thanks to:**

**Kalezz - Aww, I'm sorry I made you guys wait for this, but my mind can't sit still on just one story. Hikosu is not actually Severus' real daughter, but if you go back the prologue and first chapter explains it for you.**

**TheBeginingsEnd - lol well, here is the second chapter!**

**Infernoinside - Here's Dobby! **

**ILoveReadingAndWriting - lol Dobby was fun to write. That's actually quite funny - I think I'll use that eventually =D**

**ZariaReadsHard1500 - I'm going to do the entire series with some changes. I hope that's okay with you =P**

**cuteknight101 - Thanks for your review.**

**Neon Knightly - lol I'm glad you liked it that much. Here's the next chapter.**

**Panda-Chan8 - Um, I changed it in the other story (I'm fairly sure I uploaded the replacement chapters) so I thought it was better than purple. **

**amarama - Thanks for your reivew.**

**Phoebus Lumen - lol, well here's the second chapter. **

**Jazzlvr123 - Here's the update!**

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><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

**Dobby's Warning**

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><p>Hikosu and Harry were definitely surprised. Harry managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. Hikosu squeaked loudly, but it wasn't loud enough to be heard from the dining room. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. Harry knew instantly that this was what had been watching them out of the garden hedge that morning.<p>

As the three of them stared at each other, Harry and Hikosu heard Dudley's voice from the hall.

"May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?"

The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet. Harry noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm and leg holes.

"Er – hello," said Harry nervously as his white haired companion looked the weird being up and down with wide silver eyes.

"Harry Potter! Hikosu Snape!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice Harry was sure would carry down the stairs. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir, miss…Such an honor it is…" the being wailed.

"Um, thanks?"

"Th-thank you." Both of the children said, edging along the walk and sinking onto the floor and chair respectively. Harry gave Hikosu the chair. Hedwig was asleep in her large cage. Harry wanted to ask, "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude, so instead he said, "Who are you?"

"Dobby, sir. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature.

"What is a house-elf?" Hikosu quietly whispered, but Harry didn't have an answer.

"Oh…really?" said Harry. "Er…I don't want to be rude or anything, but…this isn't a great time for us to have a house-elf in our bathroom."

Aunt Petunia's high, false laugh sounded from the living room. The elf hung his head.

"Not that we're not pleased to meet you," the white haired girl added quickly, "But, er, is there any particular reason you're here?"

"Oh, yes, miss," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, miss…it is difficult, miss…Dobby wonders where to begin…"

"Sit down," said Harry politely, pointing at the bed.

To his horror, the elf burst into tears – very noisy tears.

"_S-sit down!" _he wailed _"Never…never ever…"_

Harry thought he heard the voices downstairs falter, but Hikosu let out a loud string of fake coughs.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered when she was done, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything…"

"Offend Dobby!" choked the elf. "Dobby has _never_ been asked to sit down by a wizard…like an _equal_…"

Hikosu, trying to say "Shh!" and look comforting at the same time, ushered Dobby back onto the bed where he sat hiccoughing, looking like a large and very ugly doll. At last he managed to control himself, and sat with his great eyes fixed on Harry in an expression of watery adoration.

"You can't have met many decent wizards. Harry is definitely one of them." Hikosu said with a warm smile, trying to cheer the elf up.

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, "_Bad_ Dobby! _Bad _Dobby!"

"Don't…what are you doing?" Harry hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed – Hedwig had woken up with a particularly loud screech and was beating her wings wildly against the bars of her cage.

"Dobby had to punish himself, sir," said the elf, who had gone slightly cross-eyed. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir…"

"Your family?" Hikosu questioned, interested.

"The wizard family Dobby serves, miss. Dobby is a house-elf…bound to serve one house and one family forever…"

"Do they know you're here?" asked Harry curiously.

Dobby shuddered.

"Oh, no, sir, no…Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, sir and miss. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the over door for this. If they ever knew, sir…"

"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?"

"Dobby doubts it, sir. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, sir. They lets Dobby get on with it, sir. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments…"

Hikosu gasped in horror. "A house-elf must be set free, sir. And the family will never set Doby free…Dobby will serve the family until he dies, miss…"

Harry and Hikosu stared at him, frowning.

"And I thought we had it bad staying here for another four weeks," he said. "This makes the Dursleys sound almost human. Can't anyone help you? Can't we?"

Almost at once, Harry wished he hadn't spoken. Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude.

"Please," Harry whispered frantically, "please be quiet. If the Dursleys hear anything, if they know you're here…"

"Harry Potter asks if he can help Dobby…Dobby has heard of your greatness, sir, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew…and theys speaks of your prettiness Hikosu Snape, but Dobby never knew of your kindness."

Harry and Hikosu, who were feeling distinctly hot in the face, looked at each other before Harry said, "Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish. I'm not even top of my year at Hogwarts; that's Hermione, she…"

But he stopped quickly, because thinking about Hermione was painful. Hikosu bit her lip and began to rub Harry's back as if it would relieve him of the emotional pain.

"Harry Potter is humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Harry Potter speaks not of his triumph over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named with the help of Hikosu Snape."

"Voldemort?" Hikosu questioned in curiosity.

Dobby clapped his hands over his bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, miss! Speak not the name!"

"Sorry," said Hikosu quickly. "We know a lot of people who don't like it. Our friend, Ron…" she trailed off, knowing it was painful for Harry to hear of Ron, too.

Dobby leaned toward the two children, his eyes wide as headlights.

"Dobby heard tell," he said hoarsely, "that Harry Potter met the Dark Lord for a second time with Hikosu Snape, just weeks ago…that Harry Potter and Hikosu Snape escaped _yet again_."

Harry and Hikosu nodded and Dobby's eyes suddenly shone with tears.

"Ah, sir, miss," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Harry Potter is valiant and bold! Hikosu Snape is honest and sweet! Both have braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Harry Potter and Hikosu Snape, to warn them, even if he _does_ have to shut his ears in the over door later…_The Children who Lived must not go back to Hogwarts."_

Hikosu glared at the elf. Who was he to keep her from her father?

There was a silence broken only by the chink of knives and forks from downstairs and the distant rumble of Uncle Vernon's voice.

"W-what?" Harry stammered. "But we've got to go back – term starts on September first. It's all that's kept us going other than each other. You don't know what it's like here. We don't _belong _here. I belong in your world – at Hogwarts – and Hikosu belongs with her dad."

"no, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Harry Potter and Hikosu Snape must stay where they is safe. They is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts, they will be in mortal danger."

"Why?" Hikosu said, still a bit angry with the elf.

"There is a plot, miss. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwats School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, sir. Harry Potter must not put himself in peril. Hikosu Snape must not fall into their trap! They is too important, sir, miss!"

"What terrible things?" said Harry at once, feeling overprotective of the white haired girl beside him. "Who's plotting them?"

Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head frantically against the wall.

"All right!" cried Harry, grabbing the elf's arm to stop him. "You can't tell me. I understand. But why are you warning _us_?" a sudden, unpleasant thought struck him. "Hang on – this hasn't got anything to do with Vol…sorry…with You-Know-Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," he added hastily as Dobby's head tilted worrying close to the wall again.

Slowly, Dobby shook his head.

"Not…not _He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, _sir…"

But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give the children a hint. Harry, however, was completely lost. Hikosu was staring at the elf like he had grown a second head.

"He hasn't got a brother, has he?"

"What now?" now her attention was given to Harry.

Dobby shook his head, his eyes wider than ever.

"Well then, I can't think who else would have a chance of making horrible things happen at Hogwarts," said Harry. "I mean, there's Dumbledore, for one thing – you know who Dumbledore is, don't you?"

Dobby bowed his head.

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatest headmaster Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, sir. Dobby has heard Dumbledore's powers rival those of He-who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the height of his strength. But, sir…" Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper, "there are powers Dumbledore doesn't…powers no decent wizard…"

Before the two children could stop him, Dobby bounced off the bed, seized the desk lamp, and started beating himself around the head with earsplitting yelps.

A sudden silence fell downstairs. Two seconds later Harry, heart thudding madly, heard Uncle Vernon coming into the hall, calling, "Dudley must have left his television on again, the little tyke!"

"Quick! In the closet!" hissed Hikosu, stuffing Dobby in, shutting the door, and flinging himself onto the bed just as the door handle turned.

"What-the-_devil_-are-you-doing?" said Uncle Vernon through gritted teeth, his face horribly close to Harry's. He then glared at the white haired girl.

"You've ruined the punch line of my Japanese golfer joke… one more sound that is not of illness and you'll never wish you'd been born!"

He stomped flat-footed from the room.

Shaking, Harry let Dobby out of the closet.

"See what it's like here?" the silver eyed girl said, quietly, "See why we've got to go back to Hogwarts? It's the only place we've got –well, we think we've got friends. And I've got my father there. I know I need him."

"Friends and family that don't even _write_ to Harry Potter and Hikosu Snape?" said Dobby slyly.

"I expect they've just been…wait a minute," said Harry, frowning. Hikosu was frowning as well. "How do you know that our friends haven't been writing to us?"

Dobby shuffled his feet.

"Harry Potter and Hikosu Snape mustn't be angry with Dobby. Dobby did it for the best…"

"_Have you been stopping our letters?_"

"Dobby has them here, sir, miss. Dobby has been stopping your father from comings, too. Dobby has his own magic." Said the elf. Stepping nimbly out of Harry's reach, he pulled a thick wad of envelopes from the inside of the pillowcase he was wearing. Harry could make out Hermione's neat writing, Ron's untidy scrawl, and even a scribble that looked as though it was from the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid. There was also a neat, slightly curvy script that looked like it belonged to Severus.

Dobby blinked anxiously up at Harry and Hikosu.

"Harry Potter and Hikosu Snape mustn't be angry…Dobby hoped…if Harry Potter and Hikosu Snape thought their friends had forgotten them…her father had forgotten her…they might not want to go back to school, sir, miss…"

Tears were welling in Hikosu's eyes and a silver outline began to shine around her body. She let out an angry sob just as Harry made a grab for the letters, but Dobby jumped out of reach.

"Harry Potter will have them, sir, if he gives Dobby his word that he or Hikosu Snape will not return to Hogwarts. A, sir, this is a danger you or she must not face! Say you won't go back, sir, miss!"

"No," the two of them said angrily, "Give us our friends' letters!"

"Then Harry Potter leaves Dobby no choice," said the elf sadly. Before Harry or Hikosu could move, Dobby had darted to the bedroom door, pulled it open, and sprinting downstairs.

Mouths dry, stomachs lurching, Harry and Hikosu sprang after him, trying not to make a sound. He jumped the last six steps, the silver eyed girl following him, and they landed catlike on the hall carpet, looking around for Dobby. From the dining room he heard Uncle Vernon saying, "…tell Petunia that very funny story about those American plumbers, Mr. Mason. She's been dying to hear…"

Harry ran up the hall into the kitchen and felt his stomach disappear. Hikosu appeared next to him and gasped, bringing a hand to his mouth.

Aunt Petunia's masterpiece of a pudding, the mountain of cream and sugared violets, was floating up near the ceiling. On top of a cupboard in the corner crouched Dobby.

"No," Harry croaked. "Please…they'll kill us…"

"Harry Potter and Hikosu Snape must say they're not going back to school…"

"Dobby, please…" Hiksou whispered.

"Say it, sir, miss."

"We can't…"

Dobby gave them a tragic look.

"Then Dobby must do it, sir, miss, for your own good."

The pudding fell to the floor with a heart-stopping crash. Cream splattered the windows and walls as the dish shattered. With a crack like a whip, Dobby vanished.

There were screams from the dining room and Uncle Vernon burst into the kitchen to find Harry and Hikosu, rigid with shock, covered from head to foot in Aunt Petunia's pudding.

At first, it looked as though Uncle Vernon would manage to gloss the whole thing over ("Just our nephew and daughter. He's very disturbed and she's so ill she must have been delirious. Meeting strangers upsets him, so we kept him upstairs.") He shooed the shocked Masons back into the dining room, promised the two children that he would flay him to within an inch of their lives when the Masons had left, and handed Harry a mop. Aunt Petunia dug some ice cream out of the freezer and Harry, still shaking, started scrubbing the kitchen clean.

Uncle Vernon might still have been able to make his deal – if it hadn't been for the owl.

Aunt Petunia was just passing around a box of after-dinner mints when a huge barn owl swooped through the dining room window, dropped a letter on Mrs. Mason's head, and swooped out again. Mrs. Mason screamed like a banshee and ran from the house shouting about lunatics. Mrs. Mason stayed just long enough to tell the Dursleys that his wife was mortally afraid of birds of all shapes and sizes, and to ask whether this was their idea of a joke.

Harry stood in the kitchen, clutching the mop for support and hiding Hikosu behind him, as Uncle Vernon advanced on him, a demonic glint in his tiny eyes.

"Read it!" he hissed evilly, brandishing the letter the owl had delivered. "Go on – read it!"

Harry took it. It did not contain birthday greetings.

_Dear Mr. Potter_

_We have received intelligence that a Hover Charm was used at your place of residence this evening at twelve minutes past nine. _

_We are aware that Miss Hikosu Snape's magic has been acting oddly ever since the end of term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and have been tracking it since. This leads us to believe that the magic was cast with your wand._

_As you know, underage wizards are not permitted to perform spells outside school, and further spellwork on your part may lead to expulsion from said school (Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery, 1875, Paragraph C)._

_We would also ask you to remember that any magical activity that risks notice by members of the non-magical community (Muggles) is a serious offense under section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statue of Secrecy._

_Enjoy your holidays!_

_Yours sincerely,_

_Mafalda Hopkirk_

_IMPROPER USE OF MAGIC OFFICE_

_**Ministry of Magic**_

Harry looked up from the letter and gulped.

"You didn't tell us you weren't allowed to use magic outside school," said Uncle Vernon, a mad gleam dancing in his eyes. "Forgot to mention it…slipped your mind, I daresay…"

He was bearing down on Harry and Hikosu like a great bulldog, all his teeth bared. "Well, I've got news for you, boy…I'm locking you up…You're never going back to that school…never…and if you try and magic yourself out…they'll expel you! That goes for you, too, girl! After your birthday, you'll be in the room right along with him!" he knew she had to go visit the Life Spring or else she would die and he didn't want her death on his hands.

And laughing like a maniac, he dragged Harry and Hikosu back upstairs.

Uncle Vernon was as bad as his word. Hikosu had gone on her journey with Cael and Fayen at midnight so she was gone with, the following morning, he paid a man to fit bars on Harry's window. He himself fitted a cat-flap in the bedroom door, so that small amounts of food could be pushed inside three times a day. They let Harry out to use the bathroom morning and evening. Otherwise he was locked in his room around the clock.

He could only hope that Hikosu came back soon…or else he feared that he would go insane.


	3. The Burrow

**Here's the next chapter!**

**Kalezz - Sorry for the long wait. I had a lot of stuff going on. Plus, it takes a long time to type up the chapters lol**

**Infernoinside - I think I might have already said this, but I changed it so that most Animalia had another distinguishing feature.**

**ZariaReadsHard1500 - lol I know. He's so mean and Dobby is funny.**

**TwilightEclps - Eeh, people are just stupid, I guess.**

**ILoveReadingAndWriting - It's kinda slow until it starts up at Hogwarts again.**

**CrazyLittleAlice456 - Aww, thanks for the compliments and the review!**

**Meggie cronwall - lol thanks for the review!**

**XXangelofnightXX - thanks for the compliments and review!**

**Brooke - Thanks for the review!**

**Neon Knightly - thanks for the review!**

**twilightluver3196 - thanks for the review!**

**BANEHiwatari - I know right. He's such an asshole.**

**aznkitty56 - thanks for the review!**

**Melissa - Aww thanks for the compliments. **

**Shiawase Lover - aww, thanks!**

**Phoebus Lumen - Um, It'll be a little while before I can finish this book. It takes a while to type up the chapters y'know?**

**Frostfire613 - Here's your update**

**Alpenwolf - *HUG* lol I know right. Um, Hikosu's nam eis just something I made up and no, I don't think Dobby ever gave them the letters.**

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><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

**The Burrow**

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><p>The journey had been quick, but Hikosu was still very tired. It was nearing midnight – it was safe for her to drink from the Life Spring any time on her birthday – and Cael wanted to have her drink as soon as possible. Call him soft in his old age, but he didn't like seeing his Animalia suffer. Perhaps the water from the spring could help her unstable core magic settle and they could find out her ability?<p>

Most Animalia have a special ability aside from being able to shift into animals. Then, on their thirteenth birthday, they pick the animal most like their personality, and stick with it for the rest of their lives. It was similar to that of the Anamagi, but not completely the same. For one, it was a natural ability and not a type of transfiguration.

If he was correct, his Animalia was powerful – as shown by her silver eyes – and could, perhaps, inherit two abilities. It was not common, but it was not unheard of.

The three of them arrived at Stonehenge with minutes to spare. They entered the sacred place and were greeted by many enthusiastic Animalia and their animal guides. Several unbound guides approached the tired girl, bowing and testing to see whether or not she was the one they had been looking for. All of them, unfortunately, were not her animal guides.

There was a man in the wooded area of the clearing, hidden underneath the brush. He bore a striking resemblance to someone she knew, but before she could make her way over to him, Cael and Fayen led her to the spring. Just as some unforeseen clock struck midnight, her eyes started to glow silver and the familiar silvery outline appeared around her body.

"Drink up, Hikosu." Fayen smiled, showing her fangs as she did so. Cael helped her into the water, since the other animal guide held a disdain for water, and dipped her back so that she was fully submerged.

She took a tiny sip as she was submerged and, in that split second, her eyes flashed again and her core magic settled itself. The mark on her throat flashed and became fainter than it was before. When she could hold her breath no longer, she emerged from the water, wringing out her hair as she did so.

"Feel anything different?" Cael questioned her, cocking his head to the side. Perhaps she would shift into her first animal soon.

"No…not really." She said, shuddering from the cool water. Cael helped her from the water and sighed, not liking the strong magical essence from the water. Hikosu looked to the trees again, hoping to see the mysterious figure, but the figure was gone. He was like an image from a dream she had. Like she had known him from somewhere before.

"See anything, love?" Fayen questioned, completely relaxed as the two made their way to a tent. It was there for those whose birthdays were today. It was filled with towels and clothing.

"Um, I saw a man that looked like Harry…but aren't humans not allowed here?" Hikosu questioned, looking up at the other figures.

"Ah, you saw James, then. He's Harry's father." Cael explained, "He's not strong enough to leave this place yet. When he is, he has plans to seek out Harry." The wolf animal guide said, looking down at his charge.

"You can't tell Harry, of course. It's meant to be a surprise." The wolf animal guide said with a smile. The girl, not wanting to keep anything from Harry, nodded and gave a strained smile back. She felt bad for keeping this from him, but she also knew how excited he would be when he found out that James was still alive.

"How did he end up here?" the white haired girl asked. Fayen decided to answer this time.

"Well, there are times when animal guides distribute the water from the Life Spring to humans. It's almost like phoenix tears except you have to drink it like a potion. He was wounded so badly that he has had to do what you've had to do for the past year. Drink the water every day, but by next year…he'll be free to leave."

"Oh, okay." She said. And with that the three of them enjoyed the day together. The next day was spent traveling back home, only for Hikosu to be locked in her room along with Harry. Cael and Fayen did not appreciate this one bit, but they were forced to stand down lest they exposed Hikosu to the dark witches and wizards in one way or anther.

Harry and Hikosu spent the night in each other's arms, drawing comfort from each other.

The next day, the Dursleys were showing no sign of relenting, and neither of the two children could see any way out of the situation. They lay on their bed watching the sun sinking behind the bars on the window and wondered miserably what was going to happen to them.

What was the good of magicking himself out of his room if Hogwarts would expel him for doing it? Hikosu wouldn't do it because then she would be leaving Harry behind. Yet life at Privet Drive had reached an all-time low. Now that the Dursleys knew they weren't going to wake up as fruit bats, the two of them had lost their only weapon. Dobby might have saved the two of them from horrible happenings at Hogwarts, but the way things were going, they'd probably starve to death anyway.

The cat-flap rattled and Aunt Petunia's hand appeared, pushing a bowl of canned soup into he room. Harry, whose insides were aching with hunger, jumped off his bed and seized it. The soup was stone-cold, but he drank half of t n one gulp. Then he crossed the room to Hedwig's cage and tipped the soggy vegetables at the bottom of the bowl into her empty food tray, giving the rest of the soup to Hikosu. Hedwig ruffled her feathers and gave him a look of deep disgust.

"It's no good turning your beak up at it – that's all we've got." Said Harry grimly.

He put the empty bowl back on the floor next to the cat-flap and lay back down on the bed, somehow even hungrier than he had been before the soup. Hikosu laid her head on his chest and he began to stroke her hair, like he did when she had nightmares.

Supposing they were still alie in another four weeks, what would happen if they didn't turn up at Hogwarts? Would Fayen and Cael go get reinforcements? Would someone be sent to see why they hadn't come back? Would Severus come? Would they be able to make the Dursleys let them go?

The room was growing dark. Exhausted, stomach rumbling, mind spinning over the same unanswerable questions, Harry fell into an easy sleep.

He dreamed that he was on a show in a zoo, with a card reading UNDERAGE WIZARD attached to his cage. People goggled through the bars at him as he lay, starving and weak, on a bed of straw he saw Dobby's face in the crowd and shouted out asking for help, but Dobby called, "Harry Potter is safe there, sir!" and vanished. Then the Dursleys appeared and Dudley rattled the bars of the cage, laughing at him.

"Stop it," Harry muttered as the rattling pounded in his sore head "Leave me alone…cut it out…I'm trying to sleep."

He opened his eyes. Moonlight was shining through the bars on the window. And someone was goggling through the bars at the two of them: a freckle-faced, red-haired, long-nosed someone.

Ron Weasley was outside Harry's window.

"Hikosu, wake up!" he shook the white haired girl before breathing out Ron's name

"Ron!" breathed Harry, creeping to the window and pushing it up so they could talk through the bars, "Ron, how did you – what the…?"

Harry's mouth fell open as the full impact of what he was seeing hit him. Ron was leaning out of the back window of an old turquoise car, which was parked in midair. Grinning at Harry from the front seats were Fred and George, Ron's elder twin brothers.

"All right, Harry? How about 'Kosu?" asked George. "We got a tip from those animal guides of hers. They're at the Burrow now."

"What's been going on?" said Ron. "Why haven't you been answering my letters? The animal guides only said you were in trouble. I've asked you to stay about twelve times, and then Dad came home and sad you'd got an official warning for using magic in front of Muggles…"

"It wasn't me – and how did he know?"

"He works for the Ministry," said Ron. "You know we're not supposed to do spells outside school…"

"You should talk," said Harry, staring at the floating car.

"Oh, this doesn't count," said Ron. "We're only borrowing this. It's Dad's, we didn't enchant it. But doing magic in front of those Muggles you live with.."

"Harry said he didn't and he really didn't do it." Hikosu said.

"She's right. Look, can you tell them at Hogwarts that the Dursleys have locked me up and won't let me come back, and obviously I can't magic myself out, because the Ministry'll think that's the second spell I've done in three days, so…"

"Stop gibbering," said Ron. "We've come to take you home with us."

"But you can't magic us out either…"

"We don't need to," said Ron, jerking his head toward the front seat and grinning. "You forget who I've got with me."

"Tie that around the bars," said Fred, throwing the end of a rope to Harry. He and Hikosu quickly managed to tie a good knot.

"If the Dursleys wake up, we're dead," said Harry as they finished tying the rope tightly and Fred revved up the car.

"Don't worry," said Fred, "and stand back."

Harry and Hikosu moved back into the shadows next to Hedwig, who seemed to have realized how important this was and kept still and silent. The car revved louder and louder and suddenly, with a crunching noise, the bars were pulled clean out of the window as Fred drove straight up in the air. Harry ran back to the window to see the bars dangling a few feet above the ground. Panting, Ron hoisted them up into the car. The two listened anxiously, but there was no sound from the Dursley's bedroom.

When the bars were safely in the back seat with Ron, Fred reversed as close as possible to the window.

"Get in," Ron said.

"But all of our stuff – our wands – Harry's broomstick…" Hikosu protested.

"Where is it?"

"Locked in the cupboard under the stairs, and we can't get out of this room…"

"No problem, 'kosu." Said George from the front passenger seat. "Out of the way, Harry."

Fred and George climbed catlike through the window into the room. You had to hand it to them, thought both of the younger children, as George took out an ordinary hairpin from his pocket and started to pick the lock.

"A lot of wizards think it's a waste of time, knowing this sort of Muggle trick," said Fred, "but we feel they're skills worth learning, even if they are a bit slow."

There was a small click and the door swung open.

"So…we'll get your things. You grab anything you need from the room and hand it out to Ron," whispered George.

"Watch out for the bottom stair – it creaks," Harry whispered back as the twins disappeared onto the dark landing.

Harry and Hikosu dashed around the room, collecting things and passing them out the window to Ron. Then Harry went to help Fred and George heave their trunks up the stairs. Harry heard Uncle Vernon cough.

At last, panting, they reached the landing, and then carried the trunks through their room to the open window. Fred climbed back into the car to pull with Ron, and Harry, George, and Hikosu pushed from the bedroom side. Inch by inch, the trunk slid through the window.

Uncle Vernon coughed again.

"A bit more," panted Fred, who was pulling from inside the car.

"One good push…"

Harry and George threw their shoulders against the trunk and it slid out of the window into the back seat of the car. They did the same with the second trunk.

"Okay, let's go," George whispered. Harry and George helped Hikosu into the car, but as Harry climbed onto the windowsill there came a sudden loud screech from behind hi, followed immediately by the thunder of Uncle Vernon's voice.

"THAT RUDDY OWL!"

"I've forgotten Hedwig!"

Harry tore back across the room as the landing light clicked on – he snatched up Hedwig's cage, dashed to the window, and passed it out to Ron. He was scrambling back onto the chest of drawers when Uncle Vernon hammered on the unlocked door – and it crashed open.

For a split second, Uncle Vernon stood framed in the doorway; then he let out a bellow like an angry bull and dived at Harry, grabbing him by the ankle. Hikosu screamed and lashed out with her core magic while Ron, Fred, and George seized Harry's arms and pulled as hard as they could.

"Petunia!" roared Uncle Vernon. "They're getting away! THEY'RE GETTING AWAY!"

But the Weasleys gave a gigantic tug and Harry's leg slid out of Uncle Vernon's grasp – Harry was in the car – he'd slammed the door shut and was gathered into his white haired friend's arms .

"Put your foot down, Fred!" yelled Ron, and the car shot suddenly toward the moon.

Harry couldn't believe it – they were free. He rolled down the window, the night air whipping his and Hikosu's hair, and looked back at the shrinking rooftops of Privet Drive. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were all hanging, dumbstruck, out of their old window.

"See you next summer!" Harry yelled.

"Don't get any fatter!" Hikosu added with a grin.

The Weasleys roared with laughter as the two of them settled back in their seats, grinning from ear to ear.

"Let Hedwig out," Harry told Ron. "She can fly behind us. She hasn't had a chance to stretch her wings for ages."

George handed the hairpin to Ron and, a moment later, Hedwig soared joyfully out of the window to glide alongside hem like a ghost.

"So…what's the story, you two?" said Ron impatiently. "What's been happening?"

Harry and Hikosu took turns telling them all about Dobby, the warning he'd given them, and the fiasco of the violet pudding. There was a long, shocked silence when they had finished.

"Very fishy," said Fred finally.

"Definitely dodgy," agreed George. "So he wouldn't even tell either of you who's supposed to be plotting all this stuff?"

"I don't think he could," said Harry. "I told you, every time he got close to letting something slip, he started banging his head against the wall."

He saw Fred and George look at each other.

"Was he lying to us?" Hikosu questioned.

"Well," said Fred, "put it this way – house-elves have got powerful magic of their own, but they can't usually use it without their master's permission. I recon old Dobby was sent to stop you two coming back to Hogwarts. Someone's idea of a joke. Can you think of anyone at school with a grudge against you?"

"Yes," said Harry and Ron together, instantly.

"Draco Malfoy," Harry explained. "He hates me."

"I don't know…I think he's just misunderstood. He had a lot of pressure put on him by his father." The white haired girl said, shaking her head.

"Draco Malfoy?" said George, turning around. "Not Lucius Malfoy's son?"

"Must be, it's not a very common name, is it?" said Harry, "Why?"

"I've heard Dad talking about him," said George. "He was a big supporter of You-Know-Who."

"And when You-Know-Who disappeared," said Fred, craning around to look at the younger two children, "Lucius Malfoy came back saying he'd never meant any of it. Load of dung – Dad reckons he was right in You-Know-Who's inner circle."

Harry and Hikosu had heard these rumors about Malfoy's family before, and they didn't surprise Harry at all. Hikosu, however, had spent time alone with the boy. She knew that he was different. To Harry, however, Malfoy made Dudley Dursley look like a kind, thoughtful, and sensitive boy.

"I don't know whether the Malfoys own a house-elf…" said Harry.

"Well, whoever owns him will be an old wizarding family, and they'll be rich," said Fred.

"Yeah, Mum's always wishing we had a house-elf to do the ironing," said George, "But all we've got is a lously old ghoul in the attic and gnomes all over the garden. House-elves come with big old manors and castles and places like that; you wouldn't catch one in our house…"

Harry was silent and Hikosu continued to look out the window. Judging by the fact that Draco Malfoy usually had the best of everything, his family was rolling in wizard gold; he could just see Draco strutting around a large manor house. Sending the family servant to stop the two of them from going back to Hogwarts also sounded like the sort of thing Draco would do. Had Harry been stupid to take Dobby seriously?

Hikosu, however, seriously didn't think that it was Draco. Draco seemed like a lost soul to her. Misguided – one who wanted to do what was right, but afraid to do so.

"I'm glad we came to get you, anyway," said Ron. "I was getting really worried when both of you didn't answer any of my letters. I thought it was Errol's fault at first…"

"Who's Errol?" Hikosu questioned.

"Our owl. He's ancient. It wouldn't be the first time he'd collapsed on a delivery. So then I tried to borrow Hermes…"

"Who?"

"The owl Mum and Dad bought Percy when he was made prefect," said Fred from the front.

"But Percy wouldn't lend him to me," said Ron. "Said he needed him."

"Percy's been acting very oddly this summer," said George, frowning. "And he _has _been sending a lot of letters and spending a load of time shut up in his room…I mean, there's only so many times you can polish a prefect badge…You're driving too far west, Fred," he added, pointing at a compass on the dashboard. Fred twiddled the steering wheel.

"So, does your dad know you've got the car?" said Harry, guessing the answer.

"Er, no," said Ron, "he had to work tonight. Hopefully we'll be able to get it back in the garage without Mum noticing we flew it."

"What does your dad do at the Ministry of Magic, anyway?" Hikosu asked.

"He works in the most boring department," said Ron, "The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office."

"The _what_?"

"It's all to do with bewitching thins that are Muggle-made, you know, in case they end up back in a Muggle shop or house. Like, last year, some old witch died and her tea set was sold to an antiques shop. This Muggle woman bought it, took it home, and tried to serve her friends tea in it. It was a nightmare – Dad was working overtime for weeks."

"What happened?" the white haired girl gasped.

"The teapot went berserk and squirted boiling tea all over the place and one man ended u pin the hospital with the sugar tongs clamped to his nose. Dad was going frantic – it's only him and an old warlock called Perkins in the office – and they had to do Memory Charms and all sorts of stuff to cover it up…"

"But your dad – this car…" Harry spluttered.

Fred laughed. "Yeah, Dad's crazy about everything to do with Muggles; our shed's full of Muggle stuff. He takes it apart, puts spells on it, and puts it back together again. If he raided our house he'd have to put himself under arrest. It drives Mum mad."

"That's the main road," said George, peering down through the windshield. "We'll be there in ten minutes…Just as well, it's getting light…"

A faint pinkish glow was visible along the horizon to the east.

Fred brought the car lower, and Harry saw a dark patchwork of fields and clumps of trees.

"We're a little way outside the village," said George. "Ottery St. Catchpole."

Lower and lower went the flying car. The edge of a brilliant red sun was now gleaming through the trees.

"Touchdown!" said Fred as, with a slight bump, they hit the ground. They had landed next to a tumbledown garage in a small yard, and Harry looked out for the first time at Ron's house. Hikosu peered up as well, a wide smile spreading across her lips.

It looked as though it had once been a large stone pigpen, but extra rooms had been added here and there until it was several stories high and so crooked it looked as though it were held up by magic (which, the two reminded themselves, it probably was). Four or five chimneys were perched on top of the red roof. A lopsided sign stuck in the ground near the entrance read, THE BURROW. Around the front door lay a jumble of rubber boots and a very rusty cauldron. Several fat brown chickens were pecking their way around the yard.

"It's not much," said Ron.

"It's awesome."

"It's wonderful." Hikosu and Harry said at the same time.

They got out of the car.

"Now, we'll go upstairs really quietly," said Fred, "and wait for Mum to call us for breakfast. Then, Ron, you come bounding downstairs going, 'Mum, look who turned up in the night!' and she'll be all pleased to see Harry and no one need ever know we flew the car."

"Right," said Ron. "Come on, Harry, I sleep at the – at the top…Hikosu, you can sleep with Ginny…"

Ron had gone a nasty greenish color, his eyes fixed on the house. The other four whirled around.

Mrs. Weasley was marching across the yard, scattering chickens, and for a short, plump, kind-faced woman, it was remarkable how much she looked like a saber-toothed tiger.

"Ah," said Fred.

"Oh, dear," said George.

Mrs. Weasley came to a halt in front of them, her hands on her hips, staring from one guilty face to the next. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket. A familiar wolf and snow leopard came bounding towards the white haired girl, gently knocking her down and licking her face.

"_So_," she said.

"Morning, Mum," said George, in what he clearly thought was a jaunty, winning voice.

"Have you any idea how worried I've been?" said Mrs. Weasley in a deadly whisper.

"Sorry, Mum, but see, we had to…"

All three of Mrs. Weasley's sons were taller than she was, but they cowered as her rage broke over them.

"_Beds empty! No note! Car gone – could have crashed – out of my mind with worry – did you care? – never, as long as I've lived – you wait until your father gets home, we never had trouble like this from Bill or Charlie or Percy…"_

"Perfect Percy," muttered Fred.

"YOU COULD DO WITH TAKING A LEAF OUT OF PERCY'S BOOK!" yelled Mrs. Weasley, prodding a finger in Fred's chest. "You could have _died_, you could have been _seen_, you could have lost your father his _job_…"

It seemed to go on for hours. Mrs. Weasley had shouted herself hoarse before she turned on Harry, who backed away.

"I'm very pleased to see you, Harry, dear. You, too, Hikosu. It's been a pleasure to have your animal guides here," she said. "Come in and have some breakfast."

She turned and walked back into the house and Harry and HIkosu, who sent nervous glances at Ron, who nodded encouragingly, followed her.

The kitchen was small and rather cramped. There was a scrubbed wooden table and chairs in the middle and the two sat down on the edge of their seats, looking around. They had never been in a wizard house before.

The clock on the wall opposite him had only one hand and no numbers at all. Written around the edge were things like _Time to make tea, Time to feed the chickens, _and _You're late. _Books were stacked three deep on the mantelpiece, books with titles like _Charm Your Own Cheese, Enchantment in Baking, _and _One Minute Feats – It's Magic!_ And unless Harry's ears were deceiving him, the old radio next to the sink had just announced that coming up was "Witching Hour, with the popular singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck."

Mrs. Weasley was clattering around, cooking breakfast a little haphazardly, throwing dirty looks at her sons as she threw sausages into the frying pan. Every now and then she muttered things like "don't know what you were thinking of," and "never would have believed it."

"I don't blame _you two_, dears." She assured Harry and Hikosu, tipping eight or nine sausages onto their plates. "Arthur and I have been worried about the two of you. Just last night we were saying we'd come and get you ourselves when Cael and Fayen arrived. But really," (she was now adding three fried eggs to each of their plates) "flying an illegal car halfway across the country – anyone could have seen you…"

She flicked her wand casually at the dishes in the sink, which began to clean themselves, clinking gently in the background.

"It was cloudy, Mum!" said Fred.

"you keep your mouth closed when you're eating!" Mrs. Weasley snapped.

"They were starving them, Mum!" said George.

"And you!" said Mrs. Weasley, but it was with a slightly softened expression that she started cutting bread for the two 'captives' and buttering it for them.

At that moment there was a diversion in the form of a small, redheaded figure in a long nightdress, who appeared in the kitchen, gave a small squeal, and ran out again.

"Ginny," sais Ron in an undertone to Harry. "My sister. She's been talking about you two all summer."

"Yeah, she'll be wanting your autograph, Harry. I say she's a right bit jealous of you, 'kosu." Fred said with a grin, but he caught his mother's eye and bent his face over his plate without another word. Nothing more was said until all four plates were clean, which took a surprisingly short time.

"Blimy, I'm tired," yawned Fred, setting down his knife and fork at last. "I think I'll go to bed and…"

"You will not," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "It's your own fault you've been up all night. You're going to de-gnome the garden for me; they're getting completely out of hand again…"

"Oh, Mum…"

"And you two," she said, glaring at Ron and Fred. "You two can go up to bed, dears," she added to Harry and Hikosu. "You didn't ask them to fly that wretched car…"

But Harry, who felt wide awake, said quickly, "I'll help Ron. I've never seen a de-gnoming…"

Hikosu shook her head, "I'm still a bit tired from my trip to the Life Spring." She murmured as Cael and Fayen phased into their human forms. They nodded and brought her in for a tight hug.

"Oh it's dreadfully boring…" and their voices faced away as the two animal guides led her upstairs to where she would be sleeping.

"I missed you guys." She murmured as she felt her body relax. He had never spent a day apart from them ever since she accepted them as her animal guides.

"We know." Fayen smiled down at her as she snuggled into the bed.

"We missed you two, dearheart. Now sleep. We shall watch over you." Cael rumbled as he brushed back her hair. Her eyes flashed just the slightest bit and the next second she was out like a light.

"That we will, Cael. That we will."


	4. Author's Note

I apologize to all of my readers and fans, but this is what I feel like I have to do. Either I'm going to let someone take over my stories, or I'm going to delete all of them with the intention on reposting some heavily edited (some not heavily edited) stories. I'm going to repost one at a time and I've decided on posting my Naruto story first. I will put up a new poll asking people to vote on the one they want me to work on after I finish the Naruto story.

The reason why I haven't posted in the last year or so is difficult to explain, but a rough summary would be that I was Saved by the Lord and I found a wonderful relationship with the man of my dreams. I've been working on some original stuff and I hope to have some stuff published in the future.

Thank you for being so understanding.


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